Lancaster, PA Road Trips

Founded in 1729, Lancaster was the capital of the United States for a single day on September 27, 1777, as the founding fathers fled the British. Lancaster has evolved from Pennsylvania's capital back in 1799, before Harrisburg was named the capital in 1812, to a strong and well known city in Pennsylvania. It is the oldest inland city in the United States. Lancaster has grown from a hub and market town for the county, into a diverse, cosmopolitan city with first rate dining, shopping, architecture and arts, well worth a weekend visit. 1 Discover Lancaster Visitors Center, 501 Greenfield Rd, ☏ +1 717-299-8901, toll-free: +1-800-723-8824. (updated Dec 2018) Lancaster City Visitor Center, 38 Penn Sq (Alternate address for GPS: 5 W King St), ☏ +1 717-517-5718, [email protected]. (updated Dec 2021)

Although the Amish culture dates back hundreds of years, they have not done much to change their lifestyles. They are traditional and they have a strong sense of community. They exist inside a larger community and everyone gets along without internal problems. They keep to themselves, but they give back to the outside Lancasterian community with their goods. Many of the venues which explain "The Simple People" and allow the voyager to learn about how the Amish live are in small nearby villages, such as Bird-In-Hand and Intercourse. Mennonite Information Center, 2209 Millstream Rd, ☏ +1 717-299-0954. M-Sa 9AM–4PM. Information on the life and faith of the Amish and Mennonites, quilting information, guided tours of Lancaster, Biblical Tabernacle as a reproduction of the original Old Testament tabernacle. 1 The Amish Farm and House, 2395 Covered Bridge Dr, ☏ +1 717-394-6185. 9AM–5PM. Historic farm with picnic area, playground and activities. 2 Amish Village, 199 Hartman Bridge Road, Ronks, ☏ +1 717-687-8511. F-Su 9AM-4PM. Take an educational guided tour through this 1840s farm house furnished as a typical Lancaster County Old Order Amish house. Grounds include barn with farm animals, operating water wheel, smoke house with Pennsylvania Dutch foods, blacksmith shop with tools of the smithy's trade, village gift shop and picnic area after tour. Tours begin at $12 per adult, $7 per youth (ages 5-12), free for children (0-4). (updated Dec 2022) 3 Mennonite Life Museum, 2215 Millstream Road, ☏ +1 717-393-9745. Tu-F 9:30AM-4PM.

1 American Music Theater, 2425 Lincoln Highway, ☏ +1 717-397-7700, toll-free: +1-800-648-4102. Hosts a variety of concerts and performances. (updated Nov 2019) 2 Bird-in-Hand Stage, 2760 Old Philadelphia Pike, #A, Bird-in-Hand (take Route 30 to Route 896 North; make a right onto Old Philadelphia Pike; just before the next traffic light, the theater is on the right), ☏ +1 717-768-1568, toll-free: +1-800-790-4069, [email protected]. 6AM-8PM. Live theatre with musicals and magic shows that vary throughout the year. (updated Mar 2018) 3 Dutch Apple Dinner Theater, 510 Centerville Road, ☏ +1 717 898-1900. You may have heard about dinner and a movie, but how about dinner and a broadway show. This is the place to go for quite an experience. This place has a fun atmosphere which is great for groups to come and dine and watch a broadway performance. Friends, food and theater. (updated Feb 2018) 4 Zoetropolis Cinima Stillhouse. Artsy theater with drinks and food. (updated Nov 2019) Rainbow Dinner Theatre, 3065 Rt 30 East Paradise (take Route 30 East to Paradise; theater is directly behind the Best Western), ☏ +1 717-687-4300. Very economical and enjoyable way to spend an evening. The food comes highly recommended and the shows are sure to bring a smile and/or a laugh. (updated Mar 2018) Abe's Buggy Rides, Bird-in-Hand. Takes you on a scenic tour of Lancaster county. (updated Nov 2019) 5 Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park, 2249 Lincoln Hwy E, toll-free: +1-866-386-2839. It's a kingdom for kids. Especially suited for younger children.

Lancastrians are well known for their local food, including the traditional "smorgasbord" (PA Dutch-style buffet). Most chains have a presence here. Lancaster is home to a large number of resettled refugees, giving it's local cuisine far more international options then similar American cities. Pine View Acres Dairy, 2225 New Danville Pike, ☏ +1 717-872-5486. This is not a "sit down" restaurant! This dairy is a small, old fashion convenience store. Pine View is very inexpensive and sells the quality homemade ice cream, juice, and milk (the beverages are in bags, the old fashioned way). There is also an area to pet baby cows. (updated Nov 2019) 1 Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord, 2760 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand (take Route 30 to N Ronks Rd. Make left at traffic light and then immediate left), ☏ +1 717-768-1500, toll-free: +1-800-790-4069, [email protected]. M-Sa 6AM-8PM. Farm-fresh smorgasbord (PA Dutch-style buffet), menu-dining, and take out. Kid-specific buffet too. Breakfast, lunch, dinner smorgasbords are all different. Near Dutch Wonderland, Rockvale and Tanger Outlets, and the Village of Intercourse, PA. (updated Mar 2018) 2 El Serrano, 2151 Columbia Ave, ☏ +1 717-397-6191. Mexican/Peruvian restaurant in a Latin-style castle. Food is high quality. (updated Nov 2019) 3 Lyndon City Line Diner, 1370 Manheim Pike, ☏ +1 717-398-4878. Most popular diner in Lancaster with a huge menu of items. This place always seems to be crowded. Be prepared to wait for a table during busier times, especially on Sunday mornings after church.

Up until Prohibition, Lancaster had several fine breweries which earned it the reputation as Munich on the Conestoga. With the resurgence of microbrewing in the last decade or so, a few new breweries have cropped up. Annie Bailey's Irish Pub, 28 E King St # 30, ☏ +1 717-393-4000. Your typical Irish pub. Good atmosphere for the older folks. It has a very large deck to handle the smoking crowd and the addition of an "Irish Tiki Bar". Solid middle price range ($3.50-5 for a mixed drink) and good food. Young professional crowd over lunch, college students on Friday and Saturday nights. (updated Nov 2019) Brendee's Irish Pub, 449 W Lemon, ☏ +1 717-397-8646. The pit stop for those who live on the West End of Lancaster. Good food, good prices, good staff. Smoking is permitted inside. Low to medium price range ($3.50-5 for a mixed drink). Usually a neighborhood crowd, some young locals mixed in. Limited seating in the back. Excellent jukebox. The Dutchland Rollers (the local roller derby team) sometimes calls this bar home. (updated Nov 2019) 1 Bube's Brewery, 102 N Market St, Mt Joy (in Mount Joy), ☏ +1 717-653-2056. Bube's Brewery is an intact historic 19th-century brewery and museum complex. Bube's has had a few different restaurants operating for several years. Alois is located in a Victorian section of the building and hosts events such as murder mysteries. The Bottling Works tavern is based in a former bottling plant. There is a Biergarten and a restaurant in the cellers called the Catacombs. (updated Nov 2019) Hildys, 448 W Frederick St, ☏ +1 717-397-1384.

There are plenty of cheap options, including camping, cabin rentals, and cheap hotels. The Artist's Inn, 117 East Main, Terre Hill, toll-free: +1-888-999-4479. Romantic B&B in small town surrounded by Amish farms. Hear the clip-clop of Amish buggies as they pass by. Fireplaces, jacuzzis, gourmet breakfasts await. 1 Bird-in-Hand Family Inn, 2740 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand (take Route 30 to North Ronks Road; make a left onto Route 340; in a few hundred feet, make a left into the parking lot), ☏ +1 717-768-8271, toll-free: +1-800-537-2535, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Resort-style hotel in Amish Country between Lancaster and the Village of Intercourse. 1 outdoor pool, 2 indoor pools, hot tubs, tennis and basketball courts, a picnic pavilion, fitness room, game room, business center, various meeting rooms, laundry room, and gift shop. There are a smorgasbord restaurant and live theatre onsite. Free Wi-Fi. Group discounts. (updated Mar 2018) 2 Country Acres Campground (Country Acres Family Campground), 20 Leven Road (take Route 30 to Leven Road; the campground is the second driveway on the left), ☏ +1 717-687-8014, toll-free: +1 866 675-4745, [email protected]. 8AM-8PM. Check-in: 2:30PM, check-out: 2PM (cabins at noon). Campground and RV park in Gordonville, Lancaster County’s Amish Country, next to farmland. Pet-friendly. Pool, playground, dog-run area. Free Wi-Fi. Cabin rentals, tent camp sites, RV sites (including sites with 50 amp and cable hookups).

1 Lancaster Station, 53 E Mcgovern Ave (near downtown Lancaster). (updated Nov 2019) Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates trains throughout the United States of America. (updated Dec 2020) Routes stopping at Lancaster: Keystone multiple trips per day between Harrisburg and New York City with stops in Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Coatesville, Downingtown, Exton, Paoli, Ardmore, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark. Some trips operate between Harrisburg and Philadelphia. Pennsylvanian operates daily between Pittsburgh and New York City with stops in Greensburg, Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona, Huntingdon, Lewistown, Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Exton, Paoli, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark. Interstate highways lead most traffic into Lancaster County. I-76, also known as the Pennsylvania Turnpike. One of the most pleasant routes from the East Coast Cities is via I-78 through New Jersey to exit 13, Bethel, then Route 501 south to Lancaster. It is a beautiful farmland drive, especially at sunset. Another good routing from I-78 is exit 54A, US-222 South (Hamilton Boulevard). This is also very scenic, but a faster and more direct routing. A very nice, scenic drive that takes you through the heart of the Pennsylvania Amish Country is a connecting road between Route 30 West from Philadelphia and Old Philadelphia Pike, Newport Road. The gentle rolling hills take the road through open Amish farm land and passes by Pequea Valley High School.

Not strictly necessary for the city, which is quite walkable, a car will however open up the whole county. The many large parking garages, some a bit hidden, are an excellent choice to stash your car for a day or evening of city exploring safely and conveniently Amish buggies are infrequent in the city proper, but standard protocol is to be patient, treat them like any other vehicle and give a wide berth when passing. Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA). Service is generally hourly or better, and ends by roughly 10pm daily depending on the route. https://www.redrosetransit.com/schedules. Public transportation is provided by the Red Rose Transit Authority. In addition to serving the city proper, routes take passengers on main routes to other county centers such as Lititz. $1.80, payable with app, tap or cash. (updated Jun 2026) 3 Queen Street Station, 225 N Queen St. The central nexus of the RRTA network. Includes a parking garage and bike parking. (updated Nov 2019) It is sometimes possible to pay for a buggy ride. Yes, horses do relieve themselves on the road. If you must dodge "road apples", please be careful! The city is increasingly bike friendly and has many bike routes including some dedicated, separated lanes. A bike share is available with regular and e-bikes, and numerous convenient stations. https://bikeitlancaster.com/bike-share-program/ Very walkable city. Almost anything to see is in a radius of less than a mile/1 km from the center of town. Londonderry Limo, ☏ +1 717-299-1007. Lancaster Limo Service (updated Nov 2019)